


Camisado

by nainawhite



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Apartment AU, Explicit Language, Fluff, I'm gonna update the tags and characters as I go, It kinda seems angsty though that wasn't the goal, It's all Noct's fault, Slow Burn, Unintentional Angst?, he doesn't talk to people much, i just want the boys to be happy, i'm not sure how much this will comply with canon i don't plan ahead too much, no beta we die like men, the most important thing to know is that ignis is noctis neighbor and noct thinks ignis is super hot, the rating is probably gonna change too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-03-11 13:57:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13525719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nainawhite/pseuds/nainawhite
Summary: Noctis lives alone. His sleep schedule is out of whack and he barely manages to feed himself. One night when he is out of food and starving he decides to go out and get some snacks, and to his surprise he finds his attractive neighbor Ignis sleeping in the hallway.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in over two years but I recently fell into the rabbit hole that is IgNoct and I read a prompt that inspired me, so I'm just gonna leave this here.

_Well, fuck_. As Noctis rummaged through his cupboards for something edible, the only things he found were some stale bread and a pack of twizzlers. He briefly debated having a look inside his fridge again, but if the last two times he checked were any indication, the chances of a meal magically materializing would be rather slim. Seems he didn’t have a choice.

  
Defeated, he shuffled towards the door and put on a coat and boots over his pajamas. It was past 2 a.m., but luckily he knew a convenience store nearby that would still be open. The perks of living near the university he guessed. Wallet, phone and keys tucked securely in his pockets, he stepped through his door into the brightly lit hallway and almost immediately stopped in his tracks.

  
Against the wall opposite his apartment sat a man, slumped over a book. If it were finals week Noctis wouldn’t have been too concerned, but this early into the semester this was an unusual sight. Judging by the long legs, one of which was stretched almost across the entirety of the hallway, the light brown hair, and the glasses dangling precariously from his face, this had to be his neighbor. Noctis had seen him from time to time, occasionally exchanging pleasantries, but had never had any interactions with him besides that. It occurred to him that he didn’t even know his name.

  
He knew that Specs had a roommate, a guy even taller and much more intimidating. The only exchange he’d had with Big Guy were a nod here and there; he didn’t look like the chatty type, so Noctis had never found the resolve to actually say something.

  
Noctis remained glued to the spot, contemplating his options. He shouldn’t just leave his neighbor in the hallway. Should he wake him? He didn’t seem like the type to just sit down on the floor, something must be wrong. On the other hand he didn’t seem like he was hurt and he had clearly been reading. Noctis couldn’t see either a jacket or a bag nearby, so it wasn’t likely that he’d come home to find himself locked out, at least not in this weather. Still, it was weird.

  
He steeled himself and crouched down, careful to keep a respectful distance.

  
“Uhm… hey? Neighbor?” he croaked, his voice hoarse from not using it all day. No response. He cleared his throat and tried again.

  
“Hey man, time to wake up!” he said, more forceful this time. He briefly felt like an idiot when he still got no response, but he quickly grew concerned. He crouched closer, now at arms-length, and stretched to poke the man’s shoulder. This time, the response was instantaneous.

  
The man gave a start and looked at him with wild eyes, but quickly composed himself as he took in his surroundings, realization dawning.

  
“Oh… apologies. Was I in your way?” he asked. Noctis stared at him in bewilderment for a long moment before finding his words.

  
“Nah, just… I was just concerned. You okay there Specs?” Noctis wondered where that nickname had come from. He would have never dared call his prim and proper neighbor that to his face, but seeing him this disheveled, sitting in the hallway…

  
“No need for concern, though I appreciate it.” He didn’t acknowledge the nickname in any way, so Noctis probably hadn’t misstepped. Emboldened, he decided to probe further.

  
“Are you sure? The hallway doesn’t seem like the ideal place for a nap. Did you lock yourself out? Did you have a fight with your roommate?”

  
“I’m just fine, I assure you. Nothing of the sort happened.” At that he stood and Noctis quickly followed suit. Noctis realized again just how _tall_ he was. He watched his neighbor take off his glasses, cleaning them with the hem of his shirt, and setting them back securely on the bridge of his nose, all the while trying to assess the sincerity of his statement. The man seemed to sense his indecision as he found his gaze again and spoke once more.

  
“Please, don’t concern yourself with me any further, there’s no need. Besides, you are clearly busy and I don’t want to keep you, …?” His quizzical look took a moment to compute, and when Noctis finally answered after a pause that was probably way too long, he felt heat rising to his cheeks.

  
“Oh, erm, Noctis.” It seemed like the right thing to do, so he tentatively held out his hand.

  
“I’m Ignis. Nice to meet you, Noctis.” Noctis’ eyes followed the hand that was reaching out to shake his, and when he looked back up Ignis was smiling. It was a soft smile, barely there, but it made his eyes twinkle and Noctis felt as if he was looking at Ignis for the first time.

  
Of course he’d always found his neighbor to be rather attractive, but with a smile on his lips he was downright _gorgeous_. The realization that he was wearing barely concealed pajamas hit him hard. Until about five seconds ago he hadn’t cared at all about who would see him like this, but now…

  
Ignis didn’t seem to notice or care, as when he let go and took a step back he was still smiling.

  
“Well, then…”, Noctis started and tried to return the smile, but found himself too flustered to be completely sincere. “If you’re really okay then I guess I better go. Uhm… guess I’ll… see you around?”

  
“I’m sure you will.” Still with that smile, Ignis was waiting expectantly for Noctis to leave, not moving from his spot even an inch. _Huh, weird._

  
So Noctis nodded once as goodbye and finally set out on his quest for food.

 

* * *

 

When Noctis returned with a big bag filled to the brim almost exclusively with cup noodles and pop tarts, he wasn’t all that surprised to find Ignis back in his former spot, although this time he was awake and reading his book. He wasn’t sure if Ignis had heard him enter, but when he made sure that his steps were more forceful than usual and would announce his arrival well in advance, Ignis was still pointedly keeping his eyes on the book.

  
Noctis paused in front of his door for a moment, rattling his keys loudly before he slid them in the lock. When there was still no acknowledgment of his presence he thought it wisest to just enter and forget about the stunning man sitting outside his apartment. Inside he put down the groceries (if you could call them that) and took off his boots and coat. Ignis had, though in a very polite manner, basically told him to fuck off. And once he’d returned he hadn’t even looked up or so much as flinched. He clearly didn’t want to be bothered. Still Noctis couldn’t convince himself that anyone would just casually sit in the hallway at three in the morning of their own volition. No matter how hard they tried to make it seem like the most mundane thing to do.

  
He went back to the kitchen and haphazardly piled his newly acquired provisions into the cupboards, leaving one of the cups on the counter to prepare right away. After all, his grumbling stomach had been the reason he had left in the first place. Still, as he waited for the water to boil he couldn’t shake the thought of Ignis sitting on the hallway floor. Noctis had no idea how much time he had already spent out there before he had discovered him, and it hadn’t seemed as if he were about to move anytime soon. No, he couldn’t leave him there.

  
With a last longing look at his cup noodles Noctis returned to the front door. Hand on the handle he came to a halt, feeling jittery. He took a deep breath to steady himself. He’d made up his mind, no use getting anxious now. _Move your ass, Noct_. Another deep breath and he opened the door.

  
Sure enough, there he was. He was still awake, but barely. Which is probably why he forgot to ignore Noct when he stepped in front of him. Ignis looked up at him and almost managed to raise an eyebrow, the exhaustion now evident in his every muscle.

  
“Look, I don’t need to know why you’re sitting there if you don’t want to say. Just… whatever you’re doing, you can do it in my apartment if you want.” Noctis blurted the words out before he could lose his nerve. The confused look he earned didn't help, still he willed himself to stay put.

  
“I beg your pardon?”

  
“You don’t have to keep sitting on the floor. You can sit on my couch. Or sleep there. Whichever.” That invitation gave Ignis pause. He seemed to mull it over for a moment.

  
“I wouldn’t want to impose,” he eventually answered, but didn’t sound all that certain. With renewed resolve Noctis insisted again.

  
“You’d be doing me a favor. Give me some peace of mind. I wouldn’t be able to sleep as long as I know you’re still sitting there. I mean, I can’t just abandon you.”

  
“I’m not yours to abandon.” _Oh boy._

  
“You should be too exhausted to be this stubborn. Just come inside, will ya? I’m not an axe murderer.”

  
“Exactly what an axe murderer would say,” Ignis said, but he finally rose from his spot. Noctis let out an undignified snort and turned to lead the way, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked back into green eyes, twinkling once more. “Thank you. Sincerely.”

  
“Don’t thank me just yet,” Noctis said. “Maybe I’m an axe murderer after all, you never know these days.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left a comment or sent me a message! Putting stuff that was in your brain on the internet is kinda nerve-wracking. I hope everyone who wanted to read more likes this too. And whatever I come up with next.

Noctis closed the door behind the two of them, a vague sense of regret setting in. He hadn’t thought this through at all, had he?

  
The only lights came from the kitchenette and the TV where he had previously been playing video games, but it was enough to illuminate the mess that was his apartment. It wasn’t _dirty_ , he regularly vacuumed around the piles that tended to amass on his floor and he always cleared his dishes of any leftover food before he set them down near the sink, but who was he kidding? His place was far from being presentable by any kind of standards.

Noctis dared a sidelong glance at his guest, assessing his reaction. With any luck, Ignis would be too tired to mind his new surroundings. He couldn’t glean anything apart from the fact that he at least wasn’t openly disgusted, so Noctis decided not to draw his attention to the mess by making excuses. Instead, he made his way over to the couch and put away the controller and the remote, shutting the TV off in the process. He briefly debated switching on the floor lamp next to the couch, but Ignis would probably like to get some sleep and that was a good enough excuse not to make the apartment any brighter.

“So uhm…,” Noctis started and awkwardly gestured to the couch, “this is my couch, make yourself at home.” He reached down and fluffed the pillows, hoping to make it seem more inviting. “I should get you a blanket, hold on.”

When Noctis turned he noticed that his neighbor was still standing by the door. What was he waiting for?

“Sit down, I’ll be right back.” On his way to the bedroom Noctis gestured again, and this time Ignis complied.

When he rifled through the many extra blankets in his bedroom closet (he liked being warm and cozy, alright?), he quickly found the nicest one, an over-sized black fluffy one that he reserved for the most desperate of times, like all-nighters during finals week. Noctis felt that Ignis had earned as much after the night he’d had.

When he returned Ignis was sitting on the couch, the book he had been reading earlier set down on the coffee table. Noctis held the blanket out to him, which Ignis eyed curiously. Though once in his hands the smile from before quickly returned. _Yep, definitely the right choice_. A smile of his own quickly crept on his face.

“Can I do anything else for you?” Noctis asked. “Can I get you something to drink? Or food? I was just about to make myself some cup noodles if you’re hungry?”

“I’m not hungry, but thank you. Might I trouble you for a glass of water?”

“Sure thing.” When Noctis got the water for Ignis he also poured some into his kettle and switched it on. Now that he didn’t have to worry about his neighbor and his nerves had settled, his hunger was back with a vengeance.

“I’ll be out of your hair in a second,” he said as he set down the glass next to Ignis, “but if you need anything I’ll be in my bedroom. The bathroom is through that door by the way.” He pointed to the respective doors in turn. “I don’t have much to offer in the way of food, but if you do get hungry help yourself to anything you want. Or if you want coffee or tea when you wake up, I have that too. The kettle is a bit tricky sometimes, like when you…” Noctis was interrupted by Ignis raising his hand, so he left his last sentence unfinished to let the other speak.

“You’ve been too kind, Noctis. It should be safe for me to return to my own apartment in a few hours, so there’s no need for you to concern yourself with me much further. And really I should be the one to worry about getting ‘out of someone’s hair’. This is your place after all.”

“No it’s cool! You stay here as long as you need, it’s no problem.” It _really_ wasn’t a problem. Who in their right mind would complain about having a good-looking guy like that in their apartment? Sure, it would have been nice to be prepared, but you take what you can get. “I mean it. I’ll just go grab my food and then I’ll let you get some sleep. Do you think you’ll be comfortable enough? I have more blankets and pillows…?”

“I’m already perfectly comfortable, I’m sure I’ll sleep just fine. Much better than I was expecting to in any case.” This time Ignis’ smile was slightly lopsided. A sleepy smile. Noctis liked that one, too. Maybe more than the last one, especially since he knew that he probably wouldn’t see it again. Yes, definitely his favorite so far.

“Alright then.” Satisfied, Noctis went back to the kitchenette to pour the now hot water over his cup noodles. He picked up his food and a fork and on his way to his bedroom he discovered that Ignis had settled in, his head the only thing visible underneath the ridiculously large fuzzy blanket. _A sight I could get used to seeing_ , he mused while a grin spread across his face.

“Sleep well, Specs,” he said before he turned in for the night.

“And you,” answered Ignis, his words already heavy with the oncoming sleep. “Good night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm convinced that if Noctis didn't have to worry about saving the world he would actually be quite considerate. If you'd like to discuss this with me you can hit me up on tumblr (@nainawhite) and twitter (@intriguing_nin).
> 
> Plus for anyone wondering about the title: Yes, I listen to Panic! At The Disco, but this isn't a reference to the song itself.  
> "CAMISADE or CAMISADo, Fr. in military transactions, an attack by surprise, either during the night, or at break of day, when the enemy is supposed to be asleep, or off his guard;"  
> I thought this was kinda a surprise attack at night, from either perspective, so there you go :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this one is mostly rambling, but I swear it serves a purpose. Just stay with me. Also thank you to everyone who commented and left kudos, you guys are awesome!

When Noctis woke up it was well past noon, so he wasn’t surprised to find his couch empty. A little disappointed maybe. The pillows were newly fluffed out and his black blanket lay neatly folded across the armrest, but other than that there was no trace left to be seen of his late night visitor. Out of curiosity, Noct padded over to the kitchenette. The kettle was empty, and as far as he could tell no new mugs or plates had been added to the ever growing pile of dishes next to his sink. It seemed that Ignis hadn’t taken him up on his offer.

He got the kettle going and set down a mug and a teabag next to it before he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. As he went about his morning routine he mulled over the fact that he had invited a virtual stranger to sleep at his place. Sure, Ignis was his neighbor and he’d wanted to strike up a conversation with him for some time now. He’d always chickened out though, so he couldn’t have blamed anyone but himself if Specs had turned out to be the axe murderer among the two of them. At least now he could be pretty sure that he probably wasn’t. Maybe it was Big Guy? Ignis had said that he wanted to wait to go back to his apartment until it was ‘safe’. What did he mean by that? He had denied that he’d had a fight with his roommate, but Noctis couldn’t rule that one out yet. If he got into a fight with someone like Big Guy he would definitely flee and wait for him to cool off. Noctis had heard that the simplest explanation was more often than not the right one, so he went with that scenario for now.

Once he was clean enough to feel human again, Noct went back to the kitchen to finish making his breakfast. When he went to top off his tea with a shot of milk, only a few meager drops fell from the carton. _Aw crap_. He should really start keeping a grocery list. Also, why did he always have to put the empty carton back in the fridge? It didn’t help remind him to buy milk in time _at all_. Ultimately it was nothing but a setup for disappointment. _Well, there’s no time like the present_. He folded down the carton and tossed it in the trash. Then he took his tea over to his desk and rummaged through the mess on top for a pen and a notepad. He wrote MILK prominently on the first page and underlined it for good measure. _Ok, what else?_ After some thought he put down eggs and ingredients for sandwiches. At least with those at hand he could kid himself into thinking that he ate home-cooked meals once in a while. He decided that this list was working for now and that he would check everything else once he’d gotten some food into himself.

Cereal was out of the question now that he was out of milk, so he went to the cupboard to retrieve a pack of pop tarts, though when he opened it the sight of its interior gave him pause. His purchases from last night were arranged neatly on the shelves. _What the…?_ That wasn’t him. He was a hundred percent sure about that. And no one else had been in his apartment aside from… _Now that’s just fucking weird. Who goes around rearranging other people’s cupboards? What the **fuck**?_

He promptly went around his apartment opening all the other cabinets, but everything else seemed to be the way Noctis had left it. Maybe he had somehow put away his groceries more carefully than usual? No, no he hadn’t. And there were still dirty dishes and stacks of magazines and one or two takeout containers, so the rest of his apartment had been left untouched. Noctis couldn’t quite decide if he was relieved or if this made the situation even weirder. Kinda both. But seriously, what was up with that? And how could you casually bring it up in a conversation? Would there even be another conversation? Maybe he should just try to go back to bed and forget about it. He definitely felt exhausted enough to go for an early nap. But he really shouldn’t. He hadn’t eaten yet and he had promised himself to at least keep the semblance of a routine. For his sanity’s sake.

He ended up eating pop tarts in front of the TV, like grown-ups do. He almost wished it wasn’t the weekend so he’d have someplace to be, something to do. He could always catch up on his reading, but he got the sense that he wouldn’t be able to concentrate. He barely followed the plot of the sitcom he was watching. With a sigh he got back up and resigned himself to clean-up duty. No use putting it off any longer, especially if he wasn’t going to put in any work for his degree.

 

* * *

 

Few things beat the feeling of accomplishment that comes with just having cleaned your entire apartment. Sure, it doesn’t matter all that much in the grand scheme of things and it definitely doesn’t solve any of your other problems, but for a moment it feels like you have everything under control. Plus, the nap right after is pretty great too.

Noctis was just about to succumb to the siren’s call of his bed when he heard the door bell ring.

“Is this a bad time?” Ignis asked as soon as Noctis had opened the door enough to stick his head out. Noctis was utterly perplexed at the unexpected visit, but he couldn’t say that he minded it. Sure, he’d _hoped_ to see Ignis again, especially since he desperately needed to know why the _fuck_ his cup noodles had suddenly been organized by flavor, but he never would have guessed to find Ignis back at his apartment the same day.

“No it’s fine. Do you uhm… do you wanna come in?” he asked and opened the door wider.

“I realize I must be entirely too brazen, but I was hoping…,” he paused to reach down next to him, lifting a bag that had been obscured from view until now, before he continued, “...that you might allow me the use of your kitchen?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Why did you have to end the chapter there?!?!?!" I hear you ask. I'm not trying to be cruel, I just want to hold myself accountable. I can't possibly stop writing now, that would be a dick move, so now I have to sit back down later and continue. So that's why I'm doing it. Also I hope you don't mind swearing; if you do I'm sorry.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to keep you waiting, something was missing and I only figured it out today. But hey, this chapter is longer than the others, so there's that :)

“Uhm…” Noctis didn’t know what to say to that, but he definitely didn’t want Ignis to leave, so he wordlessly stepped aside to let him enter. This just kept getting weirder and weirder. His eyes followed his neighbor to the kitchen, where he set down the bag and started unpacking groceries.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to cook dinner for you, as a way to return the favor. I’d originally planned to make breakfast this morning but I couldn’t find the right ingredients.” He paused to look at Noctis, weighing his reaction. Noctis wasn’t yet completely sure how to feel about this himself, and Ignis seemed to sense his hesitation. “I’m being too forward, aren’t I?”

Noctis took his time with the answer. Even though he had given his neighbor free reign over his food and kitchen the night before, the rearrangement of his possessions, even on a limited scale, had felt like a violation of his trust. Maybe he was overreacting; nevertheless that’s how he felt. If it had been anyone other than the man he had been secretly pining after for months, he wouldn’t have let them inside his home again.

On the other hand, Ignis didn’t seem like the type to willfully intrude on someone else’s privacy. He should give him a chance to explain himself. Plus, Noctis had been the first to get all up in the other’s business, seeing as how he had basically forced Ignis into his apartment last night, even after Ignis had already declined his offer for help. If anything, it kind of made them even. Yeah, he could give this another shot.

“Maybe, but I definitely started it. I mean, I didn’t really give you a choice when I demanded you sleep on my couch, so…” The quirk of Ignis’ lips he got in response instantly made him feel more at ease. So what if things felt kinda weird? This moment right here felt exactly right. He could deal with all the moments in between for this. Giving it another shot was the right decision, he just had to be upfront about his reservations and work it out.

He didn’t know how to delicately bring it up, but he was going to try regardless, because it would keep weighing on his mind and possibly ruin what had the potential to be a wonderful evening: “And since we’re already being too forward… What kinda bothers me is this… er… how come… how come my pop tarts and cup noodles are sorted by flavor now?”

“Ah, yes.” Ignis adjusted his glasses in a way that obscured most of his face from view, and when he removed his hand to look back at Noctis, a blush painted his cheeks a delicate pink. “That certainly must have seemed odd to you, which was not my intention. I took out most of your groceries when I looked for something I could cook, and I couldn’t discern your usual, uh, ‘system’, so I put them back the way I would. I hope that wasn’t too invasive? If it was, I’m sorry. Sincerely.”

“Oh… yeah, that makes sense. It’s okay, I can understand that.” And he really could, after some consideration. He was glad that his impression of Ignis held up. He still thought it was weird, but more in the quirky and cute sense of the word. Even though he didn’t think that Ignis could ever be described as ‘quirky’. “And you’re right, I don’t have a proper system, maybe I should.” Noctis tried for a smile, hoping to ease the tension he had caused.

“In any case, I’m grateful you’ll still have me,” Ignis answered, his gaze intense, willing Noctis to understand. What exactly, Noctis couldn’t tell, but the expression almost made him dizzy with the rush of emotions it caused.

“Of course,” he began, an affirmation to something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. “After all, I would be an idiot to turn down dinner. What are we having by the way?” And just like that, the spell was broken, but both knew that they were in agreement.

“Well… I wasn’t sure what you would like, but I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a simple rice bowl.” Noctis came closer to inspect the ingredients Ignis had already laid out on the counter. He half-expected his neighbor to shy away from him, but as Noctis stopped next to him and started rifling through the bag, Ignis stayed put.

“Nothing about this looks simple to me,” Noctis remarked as he pulled out various spices and vegetables he didn’t recognize. He didn’t want to admit that he wasn’t too keen on vegetables; Ignis knowing about his instant-meal-reliant diet was already embarrassing enough. “But I mean, you look like you know what you’re doing, so knock yourself out. Is there something I can help you with?”

“I could in fact use some help with dicing the vegetables.” Now Ignis was the one to move in closer, and as he reached into the bag to retrieve a wooden case, his arm brushed against Noctis’. The touch sent a current through his spine and he struggled not to tense up at the sensation.

“Yeah, I can do that. Where do I start?”

“How about the bell peppers?” Ignis opened the latch on the wooden case and considered its contents. He didn’t take long to make a decision. “This one should do the job.”

“You brought your own knives?” Noctis stared in amazement at the knife Ignis was holding out to him, wooden handle first, fingers gently curling along the beautifully carved slate-gray sides of the blade. Okay, maybe he was actually staring at the hand that had just twirled the knife around so gracefully. That _shouldn’t_ have been so incredibly sexy to look at, should it?

“As with any craft, it is prudent to always use the proper tools.” Ignis’ words snapped him out of his entranced state, and he gingerly took the knife from him. For good measure, he took a moment to inspect it more closely, hoping that Ignis would chalk up the pause to reverence for the beautiful knife.

“Yep, this looks ‘properly’ sharp. I’m not sure I should be allowed to use this.” He wasn’t actually that concerned with cutting himself; at least he wouldn’t be under normal circumstances when his heart wasn’t fluttering and he could keep his hands steady without actively thinking about it.

“You’ll be fine. Dull knives are actually more dangerous than sharp ones.”

“No offense, but that sounds fake.”

“None taken,” Ignis answered with a smirk. “When cutting with a blunt knife, you’ll have to use more force to push the blade through, therefore relinquishing precision and control. You’re much more likely to slip that way.”

_Well, that sounded vaguely sexual. Was that the intent?_ , Noctis thought.

“Huh, guess you’re right,” he said instead. No use dwelling on it right now. Noctis went to find the cutting boards and bowls his father had made him buy when he moved out. He wondered whether he had actually ever used them for cooking as opposed to as a substitute for plates whenever he hadn’t gotten around to wash-up in time. Who was he kidding? Of course he hadn’t. “You might not have noticed, but I’m not much of a cook.”

“I would never have guessed.” Now Ignis actually snorted.

“Rude, Specs,” Noctis admonished, fake-pouting as he put down the kitchen utensils in front of them.

“Apologies.” Ignis had to stifle laughter and failed miserably at trying to keep his expression serious. All in all, it was very endearing, preventing Noctis from actually getting offended. “So you don’t usually cook?”

“No, but you obviously do. Is it, like, a hobby of yours?”

Ignis started to work on a slab of meat, so Noctis followed suit with the bell peppers.

“I guess you might call it that. Though it is born more out of necessity than genuine passion.”

“Care to explain?”

“It’s more the eating that I enjoy.”

“Oh, so you’re a foodie then?” Noctis asked, pausing to look up.

“If you want to put it that way, certainly,” Ignis acquiesced, the soft smile back on his lips.

“Alright, I can get behind that.” Noctis resumed the cutting, contemplating what he could ask next. “What else do you do for fun? Reading, probably?” That was a pretty safe bet. Now he wished he’d sneaked a closer look at the book when he had the opportunity.

“Yes, that. Though I mostly do it for work now rather than fun.”

“What do you work then, if you don’t mind me asking?” Noctis had always wondered that, especially since Ignis didn’t look like the regular student, but more like he would fit right in at his father’s company.

“I recently started the PhD program for politics,” he answered, and Noctis thought he detected a hint of pride in his voice.

“Here in Insomnia? So you’re some kind of genius?”

“Hardly.” Ignis shook his head and handed him two carrots. Noctis did his best not to pull a face at the sight. He was still pretending to eat vegetables, after all.

“You must be. I heard it’s super difficult to get in. And a ton of work once you start. I mean, that’s damn impressive.”

“Well, it _is_ very demanding, and it remains to be seen whether I can progress past the probation. Still, I’m flattered you think so.”

“I honestly do,” Noctis affirmed as he dumped the pepper chunks into one of the bowls. He debated whether or not to ask if the carrots were _strictly necessary_ , missing his window to keep the conversation firmly on Ignis.

“So what is it that you do?” Noctis Lucis Caelum, foiled again by _fucking carrots_. Ignis had no way of knowing it was a sore subject, so he couldn’t fault him for asking. No, that one was clearly on the carrots. Hacking them to bits would be _fun_.

“Also a student,” he answered, trying to keep his tone as casual as possible. Maybe, if he pretended like it was pretty obvious what he was doing, he would be spared further questions. “Bachelor in Business Administration and Economics.”

Noct waited for his reaction, hoping to be subtle about his sideways glances, pretending to debate how thin to cut the carrots. Ignis seemed taken aback at that revelation, but kept chopping.

“Is that so? You don’t strike me as the typical business student.” His voice was perfectly even, so he probably hadn’t caught on to his distress.

“No? I’m going to take that as a compliment.” Maybe joking might work?

“If that’s the current bar, then it seems I’ll have to come up with better compliments.”

Now Noctis was the one to be taken aback. _Is he flirting with me?_ Sadly, he wasn’t able to stay as composed as the other man had, and he could feel the heat rising to his ears.

“Uh, sure, don’t let me stop you,” he answered, hoping it was ambiguous enough not to seem too eager but also not to shut him down.

“So, business,” Ignis repeated, “How come? Is it an interest of yours or did you have a particular goal in mind when you chose that?”

He seemed genuinely interested in the answer, which only made talking about it harder. Still, the only way forward was through.

“Actually, neither,” he admitted. “By the time graduation rolled around, I hadn’t figured out what I wanted to do, and I couldn’t just not study anything.”

He noticed that he was still staring at the carrots, and Ignis noticed too. He didn’t say anything about it, just waited patiently for Noctis to continue.

“My dad has a company, so I thought, in the meantime, I might as well just study business, you know?”

“Yes, that makes more sense,” Ignis said, and seemed… relieved? “You see, the people I’ve met that have actively chosen business have been incredibly dull, though there are exceptions, of course. You simply didn’t seem the type to be enthusiastic about economic problem solving.”

“In case you didn’t notice, that’s still the same compliment.”

“Point taken. I guess saying that taking business was a sensible choice in your case won’t be much of an improvement either?”

“Oh, no, definitely worse. Though I appreciate the sentiment.”

Just as Noctis was ready to take on the carrots, Ignis put down his knife and turned towards him. He brought his hand up to rest on his upper arm, the warmth radiating from it reassuring.

“If I may; why do you seem so uneasy talking about it?” Ignis asked once Noctis returned his gaze.

“I should have figured it out by now, shouldn’t I? I mean, I could do anything I want, I don’t _have_ to work at the company, my dad explicitly said so.”

“So what? Your work doesn’t have to be your passion. Plenty of people just do their work to pay the bills, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” Ignis pointed out.

“Well, yeah, I know that, technically. I have an opportunity, a privilege, really, and I can’t make it count. I kinda feel like I have an obligation here,” Noctis confessed with a sigh, using his free hand to push his hair back.

“An obligation to yourself or to someone else?”

“I don’t know, both?” Strangely, this conversation was both nerve-wracking and a relief.

“To start, you don’t owe your life to anyone but yourself. What you do with it should be up to you, and you alone. And as for that, I think you should allow yourself some slack. Once you figure something else out you can still make changes.” When he put it that way it seemed kind of obvious, like Noctis should have thought of that himself. Still, to be convinced he needed to know something else.

“Is politics your passion?” The question was barely above a whisper, but standing this close together Ignis had no trouble understanding him.

“I like that it’s challenging, and I find the intricacies of diplomacy to be very interesting. But it’s not my ultimate passion, no.”

Finally, Noctis nodded. Ignis let his hand fall away, and Noctis instantly wished he hadn’t. Oh well, dinner wouldn’t cook itself, might as well get back to it.

“I have no idea how you got me to tell you all of that.”

“I don’t know either, but I’m glad you felt that you could tell me,” Ignis confided, and Noctis silently agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I concede, I'll put slow-burn in the tags. As per usual, the characters tell me what they do and not the other way around. Believe me, I want them to smooch and be happy just as much as you do!
> 
> There's some parts where I'm not sure if I properly conveyed the meaning/feeling I was going for and I would love to hear your opinion on this chapter. As always, you can hit me up on twitter or on tumblr if you'd like :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long hiatus, I can't control when depression strikes. It really is a bitch.
> 
> BTW I made a Spotify playlist with the songs I listen to while I write this, if anyone's interested: https://open.spotify.com/user/1161581934/playlist/5e2l2QPb85NoO7I0jS8un5

Compared to the real deal, Noctis really was at a total loss when it came to cooking. In the time it had taken him to dice the carrots and wash the mushrooms, Ignis had already taken care of all the other ingredients. Noctis hadn’t noticed how slow he actually was, instead completely mesmerized by the speed with which the knife was dancing across Ignis’ cutting board. Or maybe that was the reason for it? Either way, the level of skill that Ignis had shown was both impressive and intimidating. He couldn’t help but feel that he should be much more experienced at this, though he realized that Ignis had not set an easily attainable standard. Maybe, if the evening went well, he could ask Ignis to teach him?

He knew that he couldn’t offer any more assistance at this point, so he resolved to take a step back and just let Ignis do his thing. Soon the vegetables were simmering in a clear broth, the rice bubbling quietly in a pot next to it, and Ignis could free up his attention for more than idle chit-chat. He reached into the bag once more, retrieving a bottle.

“Would you care for a glass of wine? I wasn’t sure which kind you would prefer, so I brought Sauvignon Blanc. It pairs well with the dish, at least,” he said, offering the bottle to Noctis for a closer look.

“Yes, definitely,” Noctis answered, not entirely sure what to look for on the bottle. “Just let me check if I have wine glasses, I’m not sure…” Noctis tried to ignore the other man furrowing his brow, he knew that adults shouldn’t have to think about whether or not they had wine glasses, they just _had_ them. And he himself must, too! Somewhere…

Opening every single cabinet, he quickly realized that he definitely _didn’t_ have them. He instead opted for two glasses that were kind of rounded (but definitely not suited for the purpose), because he wouldn’t let the lack of proper glassware stop him from enjoying an alcoholic beverage with a beautiful man who was cooking for him, _godsdammit_!

“Don’t say anything, I know,” Noctis started, setting down the glasses on the counter, “I’ll buy wine glasses ASAP.”

“Then I guess I’ll be able to manage for one evening.”

“I hope that’s a screw-cap, because I doubt I have a corkscrew hidden in my drawers.”

“Indeed,” Ignis chuckled, “it seems we got lucky.” Ignis proceeded to pour the wine, then handed one glass to Noctis and raised the other into the air ceremoniously. “To you, a gracious host in my time of need.”

“Erm, thank you?” Noctis mirrored his stance, trying to find a way to return the sentiment. “And to you, a clearly superior adult with superior cooking skills.” _Close enough._

One corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk, Ignis clinked their glasses together and nodded before taking a sip. With an appropriate glass this action would undoubtedly have looked more graceful, but Ignis still managed fine.

They settled into silence, and although it wasn’t uncomfortable per se, Noctis didn’t think he would be able to handle it for long, so he took a second sip in order to buy himself some time to come up with a conversation topic. There were a million things he wanted to know about his neighbor, but put on the spot he was stumped. Or at least he didn’t know how to ask about them without seeming nosy. Fortunately, Ignis decided to save him the trouble.

“So, how long have you lived here?” Ignis asked.

“For about a year? I moved in right at the start of my first semester.” Noctis didn’t have to ask the same, he already knew. “You moved here more recently, right?” He knew down to the exact week.

“Yes, at the end of September; my acceptance to the program required a quite spontaneous move. I’m lucky that Gladio still had a free room so close to the start of the semester.”

“So Gladio is Big Guy’s name? Is that short for Gladiator?” It _would_ definitely fit him.

“Big Guy?” This prompted Ignis to snort. “I take it you are partial to descriptive nicknames?”

“Maybe so,” Noctis conceded.

“And no, it’s not short for _Gladiator_ , it’s Gladiolus.”

“As in… like the flower?” Noctis raised an eyebrow.

“Perhaps?” Ignis seemed to mull that over, his expression slowly changing to a more serious one. “Though I wouldn’t mention that in his presence.”

“Noted. You said the move was spontaneous? Does that mean you didn’t complete your masters in Insomnia?”

“I studied in Altissia before, although I’m originally from Tenebrae.”

“So you’re a worldly man? Okay.” No surprise there. “I spent a few months in Tenebrae when I was younger. It’s a beautiful country, you must miss it. Hell, even I miss it sometimes.”

“Thank you,” Ignis responded to the compliment and chuckled. “And yes, I do miss it, though so far I’m quite taken with Insomnia.”

“Of course you are, you haven’t experienced the big city in the summer yet.”

“I doubt a city so rich with history could lose its charm for me, even in the summer,” Ignis said, but Noctis was convinced he would change his mind come June. “Besides, if all goes well I’ll be here for a while, so I really have no choice but to like it.”

“Point taken. So I take it you’re already familiar with the city? Otherwise I could give you a tour, show you all the best places. You know, since I’m a local.”

“Gladly. How could I pass up on that offer?” He paused there, subtly shaking his head, and then continued, “You know, since you are a local.”

“Great, so that’s settled. How’s the food coming?”

“Almost finished,” Ignis answered upon inspecting the food on the stove, carefully stirring the now reduced broth.

“I’ll set the table then. Anything else I can help with?”

“It’s quite alright. This was supposed to be my treat, after all.”

Soon they were sitting opposite each other at Noct’s dining table, steaming bowls in front of them.

“I gotta say, Specs, this is freaking delicious,” Noctis praised after his first bite. “Maybe I should force you to sleep here more often.”

“I sincerely hope I won’t have to spend more nights in the hallway,” Ignis answered, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. “Though I’m sure we could arrange to repeat this. Especially now that I know about your cupboard full of ramen.”

“You are a saint, saving me from my own bad choices.”

“Cooking for you tonight was not an entirely selfless gesture, I’m afraid,” Ignis confessed. “It was also a convenient excuse to get out of my apartment for the evening.”

“I didn’t want to admit it, but I’ve been dying to know what caused you to fall asleep in the hall. You don’t really seem the type.”

“Believe me, I’m not,” Ignis sighed, steeling himself for what he was about to say next. “Gladio’s fiancé was set to visit Monday, but decided to surprise him by arriving three days early. At one a.m. I simply could not stay in the apartment any longer.”

Noctis stared at him for a few seconds, then almost choked on his food as soon as realization hit.

“Oh my gods,” Noctis burst out laughing, “I see how that would chase you out of your own home.”

“Yes, please, laugh at my misfortune,” Ignis said with a mock offended expression, but couldn’t contain himself for long before he, too, broke out into laughter. “You’d think they’d get tired after a few hours, but no.”

“I… I am… _so sorry_ ,” Noctis managed in between bouts of laughter. He couldn’t help himself, he was full on cackling now. “That’s SO much better… than what I imagined… oh man…”

“Granted, I guess it is quite amusing… objectively.” It did not escape Noctis that Ignis was regarding him with an intrigued, but nevertheless fond, expression. “Since needing to get out of the apartment was also an opportunity to return your favor, I can’t be too annoyed with them. I might not have worked up the nerve to just show up at your door otherwise.”

“If that’s the case,” Noctis began, wiping a tear from his eye now that he was slowly regaining control, “I’m glad they messed up your weekend plans. I’m having a great evening so far.”

“I’m also quite enjoying myself.”

“Well then, feel free to stay as long as you’d like. I have a pretty good movie collection.”

“I might just take you up on that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this update! I needed to know what happens next and I only had myself to blame, so I finally managed to sit my ass down and continue writing. I'm still determined to see this through and I'll try to get chapters out quickly again. 
> 
> Tell me what you think, and feel free to hit me up on tumblr if you'd like! (Yes, you! I'm excited to hear your thoughts!)

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me if this is good or interesting at all? I have a few chapters planned but I have no idea where this is ultimately going or how long it's gonna be, so you have been warned :)
> 
> Also talk to me about how much you love FFXV/IgNoct! http://nainawhite.tumblr.com/ and https://twitter.com/intriguing_nin is where you find me


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